Barranquilla (Colombia), 1977

By Equipe Latinoamericana

Singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, dancer, choreographer, actress, television host, model, producer, fashion designer, and businesswoman, Shakira is also a philanthropist and a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Born to William Mebarak, of Lebanese descent, and Nidia Ripoll, Shakira’s artistic career began at the age of thirteen with the release of her album Magia in 1991, featuring songs she had written. She won her first Grammy in 1999 with the album Pies Descalzos, which sold over five million copies. Her fourth album, ¿Dónde están los ladrones?, sold 300,000 units in just one day and ten million copies worldwide. A winner of two Grammy Awards, ten Latin Grammys, and 22 Latin Billboard Awards, Shakira had sold approximately 60 million albums by early 2015.

In 2008, she signed a contract with Live Nation, a company that began promoting her tours, recordings, and merchandise. In 2010, she released the official theme song for the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa),” featuring the South African group Freshlyground. Since 2003, Shakira has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and, in 2006, she founded the Alas Foundation (América Latina en Acción Solidaria) to raise funds for early childhood education and programs aimed at combating hunger.